Homeowners usually have the same common reasons for kitchen remodeling: the room is deteriorating; the appliances need replacing; the space needs to meet current real estate standards in Atlanta. But if you are expanding a house while growing a family, your priorities might be slightly different.
How can you make your kitchen a comfortable, safe, and efficient space to be shared by everyone in your family? Here are a few ideas.
Open up the floor
One thing you would love to do while preparing, cooking, or cleaning up after meals is to make sure you’re still connected to everyone in the family during these activities so that you can extend your bonding time beyond storytelling over dinner.
Giving your kitchen an open floor plan makes this possible. Taking down barriers between it and other living spaces, for example, lets you finish the chores while continuing to chat with the family who have moved on to the study or living room, and vice versa.
Try out two islands
Another way of keeping your children close while you cook is to build two center islands instead of one. While you chop away at one station, the kids can do their homework at the other. You can also split tasks among yourselves and the two tables, truly making lunch and dinner a family affair. Plus, when your in-laws or siblings are visiting Atlanta, two islands give you additional space for socializing.
Build a nook
Constructing a mealtime nook in a corner of your kitchen might also be good for your family. More people can squeeze into the booths, the space can double as a casual hang-out or homework area, and the set-up can also be convenient for hosting little children at kiddie parties.
Make kid-friendly adjustments
Perhaps the biggest concern for a parent planning kitchen remodeling is how to make it better suited for kids. Don’t forget these minute-but-major improvements that would create a safer kitchen:
- Round out the edges. Have your contractor replace or modify your counter- and table-tops so they would have rounded edges, protecting children from nasty cuts and bumps. A bonus for adults: some rounded top designs can make for interesting visual accents.
- Install slip-resistant floors. Linoleum, textured vinyl, laminate, and certified slip-resistant tile flooring will not only keep your kids from skidding into the kitchen or slipping over that spilled vegetable soup, they will also be a boon to grandma or grandpa when they come to visit, or to you when you’re rushing out for the day.
- Experiment with kids’-height furniture. This doesn’t necessarily mean giving children a separate table; it could involve you tucking in lower drawers or shorter counter spaces, so the little ones could reach for the cookie jar or help you grab items without falling or dropping a thing.
Which of these ideas seem the best fit for your household? Discuss your needs with your trusted Atlanta kitchen remodeling contractor today.
Sources:
Family-Friendly Kitchens, TraditionalHome.com
8 Ways to Create a Family-Friendly Kitchen, HouseBeautiful.com